


Of Left-Wing Socialists and Target Employees

by Doy0ung



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, Crack, Fluff and Crack, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Internalized Homophobia, It's hard to explain, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, One Shot, Swearing, Target (store), Unrequited Crush, inspired by cdf verse, just a random story, this is just supposed to be silly i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 12:27:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19107094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doy0ung/pseuds/Doy0ung
Summary: "This might be a stupid question-" Mark starts."There are no stupid questions, just things that need to be rephrased." Donghyuck leans against the shelves of Cd's and vinyls, his favorite aisle."I was just thinking, if you're anti-capitalist... why do you work at Target?" Mark shuffles around the new albums onto the racks."Now that's a stupid question." Donghyuck rolls his deep brown eyes.Donghyuck is an anti-capitalist while Mark is just a tired senior who wants school to be over with. They both work at target together. That's it.(this is really short and bad I'm sorry)





	Of Left-Wing Socialists and Target Employees

**Author's Note:**

> Whoa it's been a while since I've posted anything... there's a good reason... but I'd rather explain it once I'm done with some other writing projects I've been working on (winkwink). I wanted to write a little something about target because ya know, why not? This sort gets a little inspiration from one of my favorite series, cdf verse, by magicsoul! Check it out, all of the installments are worth the read and they had me laughing for hours, they're way better than what I wrote. Anyways, here's my anti-capitalist Donghyuck Hyuck/ sad target worker Mark one-shot!

"This might be a stupid question-" Mark starts.

"There are no stupid questions, just things that need to be rephrased." Donghyuck leans against the shelves of Cd's and vinyls, his favorite aisle.

"I was just thinking. If you're anti-capitalist... why do you work at Target?" Mark shuffles around the new albums onto the racks.

"Now that's a stupid question." Donghyuck rolls his deep brown eyes.

"Why?"

"We live in America. Capitalism is the bane of my existence, but of course, I must submit to the ways of rich fat-cats running our economy."

"That's one way to put it... I guess." He slices open the tape on another box. Sweet, more Ariana Grande!

"That and I need a job. Left-wing socialism doesn't get you very far in our society." Donghyuck shrugs.

So now, Mark thinks he gets it. Donghyuck, the certified anti-capitalist, is working at Target for material gain. If his Ap world history two class taught him anything, it's that this totally made no sense. But then again, Lee Donghyuck wasn't created to make sense. Curse him and his left-wing socialism 

He's interesting somehow, and the world most contradictory anti-capitalist sentiment Mark has ever seen. And surprisingly, he knows a couple of anti-capitalists. Renjun, who was obsessed with Marxism and of course Lucas, who took every debate team meeting as an opportunity to bash the inconsistencies in the American government. It was too bad his aff case was a defense of the American health care system (which he was very very angry over). However, the weirdest part is the fact that Donghyuck wasn't like any of these people, he also wasn't in debate. He was in enviro though, which might as well be debate, because they just argue with everyone anyway. Jaemin seemed to be the biggest culprit of this argumentative attitude.     

"That's stupid."

"Listen, this is the best I can do," Donghyuck hops up onto the pile of boxes. Mark should probably scold him, but he didn't want to look like a complete and utter nerd and Kun would probably do it latter anyway. Never mind, he'll just do it himself.

"Get down from there." Mark tears the tape off another cardboard box, displaying the treasure trove inside.  Another box of Ariana Grande. Was Doyoung ordering the stock?

"Make me." Donghyuck lets his words lilt off his tongue. He smirks, displaying that devilishly handsome grin.

Mark has only been working at target for a month now, but it's been a wild ride every day. Especially with a certain Lee Donghyuck. He's a calamity, a tornado of emotions and odd humor and... Mark could go on for hours. His skin is kissed by the sun, his hair is an ashy grey, but still fluffy and textured. He looks good in the target uniform, a mess of red polos and khaki pants.

In short, mark likes him. Not like that of course. He likes females. Tits over dicks any day. He isn't gay. Maybe. He snaps out of his headspace.

"You're gonna fall off one day."

"You sound like my mom." Donghyuck sticks out his tongue. "Besides, if I do, I could sue target for employee endangerment, get rich, and get out of this shit town."

"But for now, you're working at target, even as an anti-capitalist." Mark grabs a handful of vinyls and lines them up on the shelf.

"You have to do what you have to do."  Donghyuck shrugs, jumping off the mountain of drab cardboard. He picks up a vinyl and plays with it in his hands, spinning the corners on the tips of his fingers. It's too bad Donghyuck lacks the dexterity. Mark has noticed the fact that Donghyuck is unexpectedly clumsy. He's kind of like Johnny, their regional manager. He's sweet, he's young but undoubtedly stressed. After all, when you manage a target run by teenagers who act like monkeys with shit-for-brains, it's not easy. Their other managers, save for Doyoung, are pretty laid-back. Doyoung always acts like he has a stick up his ass and is super strict about the displays. Kun is mostly just tired. He probably needs a really good weeklong nap so that he doesn't look like a whole zombie. Doyoung is probably the most asshole-ish out of both of them. Jaehyun is probably the coolest manager. He mostly acts as a mediator between Lucas and Doyoung (because Lucas usually fucks up like once a day), but he joins in on the fun sometimes.

Lucas… interesting. He’s smart, but somehow has the common sense of a fucking five-year-old. It’s as if he’s a child genius stuck in the body of a 6-foot, lanky, 18-year-old asshole. Lucas is pretty questionable. Like the fact that he does parkour in the parking lot and steals snacks during every shift. Jeno and Jaemin work in the back, half the time organizing the stock and the other half making out near the frozen foods. Mark’s walked in on them a couple of times, gross. They were all fine and good, maybe except for that part.

However, if there was anyone who intimidated Mark (other than Donghyuck of course), it has to be Ten. Ten and all his five foot five inches of pure, whore-ish evil. He twerks, he pole dances (As he displayed last week out on the parking light streetlamps, in full Target uniform, mind you), and he is single-handedly the gayest person Mark’s met ever. Even though he is short, he looks like he could square up. Which is concerning to Mark, after all, there is no way he wanted to fight such a thot. There are two main reasons Mark wanted to avoid an altercation with Ten at all costs, not that they are the most… realistic of ideas. One is the unavoidable fact that Mark’s arms are way too noodle like to do any real damage (not even adding the fact that Ten’s like a dancer or something and his thighs look like they could crush Mark’s head like a watermelon). The second reason is that Mark has a fear that if ten were to clap his ass cheeks, that it might send him flying into a whole other universe. Now, like he said, not the most realistic of ideas, but still somewhat possible and very _very_ embarrassing. Imagine being knocked back by the sheer thickness of someone’s booty! Mark would never be able to live that down! Lucas would make some stupid ass nickname and he’d- maybe he should stop thinking about the clapping of ass-cheeks and teleportation. For the sake of both his dignity and his sanity.

“Shit! That’s coming out of my already minimum wage paycheck!” Donghyuck screeches.

“I’ll just tell Doyoung it was broken in box.” Mark shrugs.

“Thanks, Mark, you’re such a life saver.” Donghyuck flashes that million dollar grin. _Don’t embarrass yourself this time, Lee_ , Mark recites in his head. But it’s already too late, he feels his face flushing, the sweat starting to collect on his forehead, his pants tightening-forget that last one.

“Hey!” The bounding of heavy footsteps and the sound of even heavy breathing rings out through the aisle. Lucas. Mark could recognize that asthmatic wheeze from anywhere. He really should just use his inhaler. Asthma is not a joke kids!

“What’s up?” Donghyuck leans nonchalantly against the shelving, kicking the broken vinyl with the heel of his foot.

“Have any of you seen that big booty twink?” Lucas wheezes.

“No, I don’t think he’s working today.” Mark slits open another box, hoping it isn’t Ariana again. There’s only so much thank u, next he can handle.

“Yeah, he called out sick from his shift. But we all know he isn’t sick.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes.

“Damn, we had to restock groceries today too!” Lucas finally catches his breath. “He’s gonna get it when he gets back.”

“Careful, if you say it like that, he might get the wrong idea.”

Lately, Ten had taken a liking to Lucas, setting him up to become his next boy toy. Surprisingly, Lucas didn’t mind. He likes the twinky attention. He has three things going for him. His cute smile, his young libido (Lucas’ words, not Mark’s, he’d never wanna see that… voluntarily at least), and the fact that he’s too gullible for his own good. It’s everything Ten wants in a man, wrapped into one very stupid package. Lucas lets Ten fawn over him, lets him flirt, the works. Lucas isn’t gay, but he might just be Tensexual or some stupid fucking shit like that. Just like Mark. Mark isn’t gay (Tits, remember?)

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind, just go restock some peas or something.” Mark groans. No one ever listens to him here, now he kind of gets what it’s like to be Doyoung. Lucas skips down the aisle, turning to the left (not the right way to the groceries section, but Mark gives him credit for trying) and humming along to the tune radiating from the Target speakers (which at this time is Time after Time by Cyndi Lauper).

“Hey, you!” Mark can recognize that shrill voice from anywhere, Doyoung. He points at Donghyuck with conviction and determination in his dark eyes.

“Yeah, what?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be working in the back today?” Doyoung looks down at his tiny clipboard (because he’s annoying).

“And work with Jeno and Jaemin, who basically have their hands down each other’s pants the whole shift? Ew.” Donghyuck crosses his arms over his chest. “No way. That’s gross. It’s like watching two jackrabbits go at it during mating season.”

“That’s an image I didn’t need in my head. Listen, I’ll talk to them later.” Doyoung rubs his temples. “Just get to work. And tell Lucas to stop calling me Dickyoung, for the love of god!”

“You’ve been called worse things!” Donghyuck replies, skittering to the back room door.

“He’s not wrong,” Mark says, stacking another box onto his forming cardboard mountain. “Remember when Lucas used to call you dildoyoung?”

“Please don’t remind me!” Doyoung slaps a hand over his forehead.

“Or when he first worked here and he would call you Bongyoung-“

“Yes, because my real name is Dongyoung and bongs are for weed yes I get it, Mark.”

"Just jogging your memory." Mark shrugs. Doyoung saunters away, grumbling under his breath and looking exasperated.

Thankfully, the rest of the shift goes pretty smoothly. Maybe besides the fact that Lucas was trying to perform a nice set of five cartwheels down the ice cream aisle (which ended up with 10 cans of sprinkles popping open and a very tired Doyoung having to appear and clear up the mess). The only other incident was Donghyuck finding a roach skittering around in the back, to which he screamed like a banshee. Doyoung then had to pick up a broom and sweep the roach out as the jackrabbits and Donghyuck hid behind a pile of boxes.

So maybe the shift didn't go smoothly.

Mark is happy that it's over, because it's Friday, for one, and also because tomorrow is payday. So he fishes for his keys, walks over to his car and sits down. Tired from the day's events. Not the worst shift, but certainly not without its faults. Lucas is riding his tiny penny board down the parking lot, looking pretty stupid, but still managing to stay on quite well. Donghyuck comes out, with Jeno and Jaemin not too far behind. Mark rolls down the window of his exceptionally crappy Honda Civic.

"Can I get a ride home?"

"You ask me every time." Mark laughs. This is how it always goes, Donghyuck and Mark get off their shift. Mark goes over to his car and waits for Donghyuck to say those magical six words. It happens without fail, for the past three weeks at least (Mark finally worked up the courage to ask if Donghyuck wanted a ride instead of riding his bike).

"Can I change the station?" Donghyuck fiddles around with the radio. "You always pick the shittiest music."

"It's not shitty!"

"It's all like emo sad rap, Mark." He sighs. "Nothing says teenage angst more than whiny emo boys." 

"It's not emo sad rap, it's atmospheric." Mark turns out of the parking lot, speeding along the street.

"Hardly." Donghyuck stops his fiddling, settling on an old station playing exclusively 80's music. He groves to the music, in this case, the smooth pipes of Phil Collins. He's beautiful, Mark thinks, as the fading sunlight washes over his tan skin. He should keep his eyes on the road, so he settles for chaste looks and slight side- eyes. The wind ruffles his hair as they cruise along the local streets. It's their home, their place, their universe. He lets the music flow, watching Donghyuck sing-along, hearing him imitate the notes and hit them without even trying. Mark leans his arm against the open window, leaning back into his seat. It's a crappy Honda Civic, but this moment could be no better.  Donghyuck wipes his grey locks away from his eyes, swiping them back off his forehead. He smiles. A wide, teeth-fully visible kind of smile that sends tingles down Mark's spine. No.

This isn't right.

The sun fizzles away too quickly. Disappearing beyond the horizon and leaning over the edge of the earth. It waves goodbye, letting out hot tears as the moon ascends into its place in the once blue sky. The car slows as it approaches Donghyuck's house. It's a little, tiny thing with happy yellow siding, an orange shingled roof, and a wooden porch. Flowers surround and enclose it, smothering the house in shades of pink and blue and purple. There are even sunflowers. It reminds him of Donghyuck. It is Donghyuck.

He climbs out of the Honda, bidding Mark goodbye and fishing his keys out of his pocket.

Mark drives away.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading... whatever the hell this is. I hope it was okay? Let me know if you liked it, because maybe then I'll have some more ideas for future fics! Once again, thanks for reading lovelies <3 
> 
> socials: 
> 
>  
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/jungw00l0gy)
> 
>    
> [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/jungw00l0gy)
> 
>    
> [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jungw00l0gy/)
> 
>  
> 
> Tweet and ask me questions guys! You can dm me too, I'm always open for comments and such!


End file.
